Picar, Henrik Andreas L.

2014-74735

Chem 31.1 WFR/WFUV2

Post-Lab

1. What is the purpose of washing the organic layer with 6 M NaOH?

While extracting the caffeine using dichloromethane, some acids and
polyphenols are extracted along. The NaOH will wash off these to ensure
the purity of the extracted caffeine.
2. Compare the solid products obtained after extraction and after purification.
Account for the difference between the two solids.
The extracted caffeine has color, somewhat black or brown, depending on
the source of the caffeine. After purification, the caffeine became clear,
which suggests that the purification process removed the contaminants
on the sample that caused the first observed colors on the caffeine.
3. What are the other applications of solvent extraction?
Aside from purification, solvent extraction is done on industrial operations,
usually on large scales.
4. What are the different phase changes that occur during purification using
sublimation?
In purification using sublimation, the phase change is sublimation. It is the
change of state of matter from solid to gas. After the sample sublimates,
the evaporate formed will undergo deposition on the filter paper.
5. Give two advantages of sublimation over recrystallization as a purification
technique.
One of the reasons sublimation is more advantageous compared to
recrystallization as a purification technique is that the former has less
errors compared to the latter. Sublimation is based on the temperature of
the sample components, unlike recrystallization which is based on the
solubility of the sample components. Recrystallization has a risk of
premature recrystallization, aside from errors and uncertainties in
preparing the mother liquids and such. Another reason that sublimation is
more advantageous to recrystallization is that purification is easy in terms
of distinction of components since it is based on temperature, unlike in
recrystallization that rely on the appropriation of solvents used.
6. Give at least two limitations of sublimation as a purification technique.
Sublimation is a good technique in separating components, but it has
limitations. Sublimation is based on the components sublimation
temperature, not reactivity/solubility. It is possible that two compounds
can have the same sublimation temperatures, and in sublimation, its hard
to differentiate the difference of such. Another limitation of such is that the
process rely on sublimation. If temperatures are not high enough, the

sample may melt rather that sublimate, which may cause error due to the
two-step process.
References:
Snelling, C.R. (2003). Extraction of Caffeine from Tea Leaves. Retrieved form
http://www2.volstate.edu/CHEM/2010/Labs/Caffeine_Extraction.htm on
February 12, 2015.
Make

(2015). Laboratory 6.4: Solvent extraction. Retrieved from

http://www2.volstate.edu/CHEM/2010/Labs/Caffeine_Extraction.htm on
February 13, 2015.